Metallic packing.



No. 786,976. PATENTED APR. 1l, 190.5..

.W.H.LAW. METALLIC PACKING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21. 1904.

Patented April 11, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. LAW, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METALLIC PACKING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '786,9 76, dated April 11, 1905.

Application filed June 21, 1904:. Serial No. 213,463. Y I

T0 (all whom it may @www1/Mv Be it known that l, WILLIAM H. LAW, a citizen of the United States, residing inthe borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, county of Kings, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Vtransverse section of the endringsor sec-- tions of packing and of the-fibrous packing used at the extreme end. Fig. 5 is a section of the same rings to show a slight modification in form. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the main or middle packing-ring,` and Fig.

7 is a section of one side ofa like ringmodified in construction for use under certain lciring-box.

My invention relates to packing for stu- 1 ing-boxes and the like, and more particucumstances.

larly to metallic packing, this invention being an-improvement on a similar metallic packing described and claimed in a Heretofore the main disadvantages of metallic packings adapted to wedge inwardly and outwardly against the operating rod or shaft and stuffing-box, respectively, have been that the bearing-faceof the shaftbearing or central ring is. relatively small and also that the shaft bears and moves patentl granted to me on the 12th ofOctober, 1897,`

clearly in Fig. 1.

Y The invention ,consists in certain novel featuresof constructlon to be hereinafter set forth, and more definitely stated in the claims.

the same and provided with a gland Bof the ordinary construction and adapted to be forced down into the bore of the stuffing-box by bolts b.

C is the main or middle packing-ring7 hav-l ing an exterior face o, interior face c', andthe upper and lower grooved' or channeled edges c2 c3. These channels or grooves are V-shaped or wedge-shaped in cross-section, the sides of the channel being of unequal lengthand the longest of said sides being nearest the piston or interiorface cand forming a wedgingface. The wedging-face of vboth edges of the central or shaft-bearing ring are `thus inclined from the point of contact with the shaft convergently toward each other and not divergently from each toward the stufflt is necessary thatthey should have thisinclination ofthe wedge-faces in order. that they may force the ring toward the shaft; but heretofore this expanding action has been obtained by making the end ringswith V-shaped channels and thecentral ring with a wedge-like edge. lnconsesection was ofrelatively small area. By reversing this, however, and making the channels in the central ring l increase its bearing area, while Yaccomplishing the expanding action required.

Above and and :fitting into the V-shaped channels thereof are the endyrings D E. Both of these end rings have exterior and interior faces d d/ e e', which bear, respectively, against the'rod A and the walls of the stuffing-box, the interior faces thus forming wedge-faces acting against the wedge-faces of 'the central ring to force it inward. The ring D has an upper wedge-shapededge d3 and the ringE a lower wedge-shaped edge e2, which are'adapted to enter the V-shaped channels c2 c3, as shown The sides of these wedgeshaped edges d3 e3, which correspond to the belowthe main packing-ring C IOO facing sides of the channels c2 c3, are of different length from the channel sides, whereby the apices of the channels and of the wedgeshaped edges of the end rings when the rings are in position are out of alinement, as clearly shown in Fig. l. By this means when the end rings are forced toward the middle ring the middle ring is wedged in against the rod A, and the end rings correspondingly forced out against the wall of the stuffing-box.

The lower edge d2 of the ring D is fiat to rest upon the bottom of the box A, and the upper edge e3 of the ring E is shaped to conform to the lower face of a fibrous packing or ring F, which is interposed between the gland B and the ringlE. In Figs. l and 4 I show the ring E as aving a wedge-shaped upper edge, which approximates a V-shaped channel j in the lower edge or face of the ring F, the apices of both angular edges alining. This conformation of the meeting edges of rings E and F, I design for use in pumps or similar apparatus, or where the pressure of air, water, or ammonia is to be resisted when it is desired to expand the fibrous ring in both directions. For steam-packing the upper edge of ring Ehas a flat face f and a downwardly-inclined face, as shown in Fig. 5, the recess in the lower edge of the fibrous ring F being shaped to correspond, having an inner fiat face and an outer downwardly-inclined face. By this means the fibrous packing is expanded outwardly against the wall of the stuffing-box, but not against the rod A, thus preventing the leakage of steam out through the gland-joint, but permitting the inner part of the fibrous packing-ring to absorb and retain the steam, which thus acts as a lubricant to the rod.

The rings C, D, and E are each split at one or more places in their circumferences, as is common in rings of this character. When the rings are in position in the stuffing-box, these joints are set out of register with each other but by means of these joints and the annular spaces left between and around the rings the condensed steam and lubricant used is distributed around the circumference of the rings and prevents the heating of the rings or the rod moving therein. It will be seen that by my construction, even when the ring C is worn down so that the annular spaces between the rings through "setting up, are smaller, yet the ring C being forced outward leaves a space between it and the stuffing-box, thus preventing communication between the rings being broken or interfered with and providing for the perfect distribution of steam and lubricant.

In Fig. 7 I show a modification of the central ring C as used for an ammonia stuffingbox. When used for ammonia, the box B is twice as long but of the same diameter as for water, and for convenience in handling I make the ring in two parts tongued and grooved together.

In operation when the gland B is set downward the central ring C, with its broad bearing-face d, is forced into snug contact with the rod or shaft by the wedging action of the upper and lower end rings D E, and this same wedging action forces the said end rings snugly against the wall of the stuffing-box. This gives in practice a sliding bearing on only one of the rings-the middle one, E, which, because of its channeled edges has a large and unbroken area of bearing-surface, as before stated-and this prevents the unequal wearing incident to the use of a number of rings no two of which are of exactly the same hardness. Thus, too, the bearing-surface for the rod or shaft is continuous and unbroken, whereby any tendency to shouldering the rod is avoided.

The fibrous. packing-ring serves to wipe and keep clean the piston-rod A as it passes out of the box, and when expanded by the we( ging action of ring E it is forced out against the wall of the box and fills and closes any pits or irregularities therein. Though I have shown this fibrous packing in the form of a ring, I may use it loose, it being compressed into shape between the gland. and the end ring.

The rings C D E are intended to be made of any appropriate metal or composition suitable to the work to be done.

A packing of metal rings made as above described is easilyput in place without the services of an expert workman. It requires no attention save the occasional renewal of the fibrous layer. The friction on the rod is reduced to a minimum. The rod is not scored or cut, and the packing stands a very high, pressure.

I have used the terms upper and lower as designating the position of the end rings and of the fibrous packing; but it will be understood that the phrase is purely relative to the stuffing-box in the position shown in the drawings.

Though I have shown what I believe to be the preferable form of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the exact number of rings shown nor to the exact arrangement of wedging-faces, as these details may be varied within certain limits without departing from the spirit of my invention. Y

Having described my invention, what I claim isl. A packing for stuffing-boxes comprising split rings or sections fitting one with the other, the said rings having adjacent, oppositely-disposed, wedge-faces so adapted that when the rings or sections are forced toward each other one of the rings will be forced inward against the rod passing through the stuffing-box, and others of the rings forced out against the wall of the stuffing-box, and

IOO

IOS

IIO

the said rings being in contact with each other at their inner circumferences, but separated from each other at their outer circumferences, to form outer, annular lubricant -passages, substantially as described.

2. A packing for stuffing-boxes comprising a central ring having a` bearing-face for contact with the piston-rod, and end rings having bearing-faces for contact with the stuffing-box wall, thesaid central ring having upper and lower wedge-faces inclined convergently toward each other from the bearing-faces thereof in a direction toward the stuffing-box wall, and the said end rings having edges fitting thereto so adapted that when the rings are forced toward each other the central ring will be forced toward the said rod and the outer rings outward toward the wall of the box, substantially as described.

3. A acking for stuffing-boxescomprising a centra ring having a bearing-face for contact with the rod passing therethroughI and endrings having bearing-faces lfor contact with the stuffing-box wall, the adjacent edges of said rings having reverse wedge-faces, the upper and lower wedge-faces of the central ring being inclined convergently toward each other from the bearing-faces thereof, in the direction of the stuiiing-box wall, substantially as described. .y

4. A packing for stuffing-boxes comprising a middle ring or section having two sides and two edges each of the edges having two oppositely-inclined wedge-faces converging toward each other from the bearing-face of the ring, in the direction of the stuffing-box wall; and two end sections or rings having each two sides and an edge having oppositely-inclined faces disposed for engagement with the inclined faces of the edges of the middle ring; the apices of the inclined edge faces of the end rings being out of alinement with the apices of the inclined edge faces of the middle section, substantially as described.

5. A packing for stuffing-boxes comprising a middle ring or section having two sides and two edges each of the edges having a V-shaped channel therein whose side toward the interior circumference of the ring 'is longer than the other and forms a wedge-face inclined convergently toward the corresponding wedge-face on the other edge of the ring; and two end rings or sections having each two sides and two wedge-shaped edges for engaging with the channels of the middle ring; lthe apices of the wedge-shaped edges of the end rings being out of alinement with theapices ofthe V-shaped channel of the middle ring, substantially as described.

6. A packing for stuffing-boxes comprising a middle split ring or section having two sides and two edges, each of the edges having a V- shaped channel therein one of whose sides is longer than the others; and two end split rings or sections having each two sides and two wedge-shaped edges for engaging with the channels of the middle split ring; the apices of the wedge-shaped edges of the end ring being out of alinement with the apices of the V-shaped channels of the middle ring, whereby a lubricant distribution and cooling passage is formed between and on the outer circumference of each ring and from one ring to another, substantially as described.

7. In a stuffing-box, the combination with a middle split ring having wedge-faces inclined convergently'toward the box, and two ends lit rinus havin wed e-faces o ositel inclinled to rthe adjcent gedge facspof thier middle ring and whose apices are out of alinement withthe apices of the wedge-faces of the said middle ring; of a fibrous packingring having an outwardly-inclined edge face, one of the said end rings being separated from each other on their outer circumferences having an inclined edge face adapted to bear against the edge face of the fibrous packing and expand the same against the wall of the stuffing-box, substantially as described.

8. The combination in a stufIing-box, of a middle split ring, a lower split ring adapted to wedge the middle ring inward away from the wall of the stuffing-box and to be thereby wedged out against said wall; an upper split ring adapted to wedge the middle ring inward and to be itself thereby wedged outward against the said wall g said split rings being separated from each other on their outer circumferences, and each thereby having communication with its adjacent ring; and a fibrous packing-ring above the said upper end ring, adapted to be expanded outwardly and inwardly by forcing it down upon the said upper ring, substantially as described.

WILLIAM H. LAW.

Witnesses:

W. H. RUBY, H. L. WARDELL.

IOO 

